First thoughts: A Nightmare On Elm Street

The first footage from A Nightmare On Elm Street hit the net yesterday, and as the buzz settles surrounding the mostly promising trailer, we take time out to survey the Krueger carnage.

Initially, this reboot doesn’t look to buck the ‘remake better than predocessor’ trend – but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t look like a good old-fashioned slice of horror fun. In Jackie Earle Haley the franchise has a leading man with good thesping credentials. His Krueger seems to be a sort of wronged demon, and judging by his throaty growl, the Watchmen star isn’t playing this one for laughs. The trailer shows glimpses of being an origins tale, and this sentiment gives Haley room to make the character his own.

Stylistically some of the fast cuts and whooshing shots give off a feeling that the film may be presented more in the style of (gulp) the Friday The 13th reboot – you’d hope that this won’t be the case. But at the moment your best bet is to remain positive that this will be a nightmare to truly relish. Heck, it can’t be any worse than Dream Warriors… can it?